zero tolerance

American  

noun

1. a policy of very strict, uncompromising enforcement of rules or laws.

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zero tolerance British  

noun

1. 1. the policy of applying laws or penalties to even minor infringements of a code in order to reinforce its overall importance

   2. ( as modifier )

      a zero-tolerance policy on drugs

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Etymology

Origin of zero tolerance

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zero tolerance

There would be zero tolerance of any off-the-ball moves that were designed to stop an opponent getting to the ball and led to goals.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

“Safety is a cornerstone of our business and we have zero tolerance for inappropriate and unsafe behavior.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2026

The party’s leader, Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, said this week that he has zero tolerance for antisemitism and is working to improve the vetting process for candidates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

He said he had asked the prime minister to "guarantee the normalisation of antisemitism in the UK will stop, and that there will be zero tolerance".

From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026

When she says something about zero tolerance, Abby squeezes my hand.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli